Quick release aerial delivery unit



March30, 1943. F, HELMICK 2,314,881

QUICK RELEASE AERIAL DELIVERY UNIT Filed Jan. 8, 1942 Patented Mar. 30, 1 943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE QUICK RELEASE AERIAL DELIVERY UNIT Paul F. Helmick, Dayton, Ohio Application January 8, 1942, Serial No. 426,035

4 Claims.

(Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as

amended April 3Q, 1928; 370 0. G. 757) .rifies, machine guns or other equipment safely.

An object of the invention is to provide a device of this kind which may be quickly opened upon landing.

Another object is to; provide a device of this character which will so hold the articles being dropped as to insure against breakage.

Another object is to so construct the several parts of the device that it will be durable and able to withstand the severe usage to which a device of this character is subjected.

Another object is to so arrange the container and the parachute with respect to each other as to insure safety in operation at all times.

Other objects and meritorious features will become evident as the invention is described in greater detail and reference is had to the drawing, wherein,

i 1 is a perspective view of the improved device assembled ready to be dropped from some form of aircraft.

Fig. 2 shows one of the members of the assembly Fig. l in detail perspective.

Like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the drawing.

The embodiment of the invention herein shown and described comprises a middle section 10 with two telescoping end caps I2 and I4 and a parachute pack I6 attached to one of the end caps.

The middle section I is shown as being of prismatic form, although it may be made cylindrical if so desired. It may be made in the form of an open ended box into which a number of suitably padded'articles such as machine guns or rifles may be inserted, or it may be made in the form of a long blanket or rug which is rolled around the articles to be dropped, or between the turns of which the articles are spaced apart. The length of the middle section 10 may vary according to the length of the articles which it contains. 4

The end cap l2 which slips over one end of the middle section 10 may be made in the form ofa box with one end open. The cap 12 may be made of duck or other suitable fabric, the length of the cap preferably being about one third the length of the middle section It. For use with a round or roll type middle section I0, the end cap will, of course, be made in the form of the drum withone end open.

A reinforcing band l8, composed of one or more layers-of cotton webbing, surrounds the open end of the end cap l2, and is preferably stitched to the ca for the greater part of the way around it, an unstitched portion being provided midway of its length with a buckle 22 which may be used for taking up the open end of the cap somewhat when the middle section is not large enough to quite fill the end cap.

A reinforcing strap 24 extends over the closed end of cap I2, then axially along opposite sides of the cap to the band l8. The strap 24 is preflffibly stitched to the sides and bottom of the cap [2, the ends terminating at the band It and being stitched thereto as at 26.

A second reinforcing strap 28 extends over the closed end of the cap 12 crosswise of the strap 24, an additional piece being looped out as at 30 to provide a hand grip to facilitate lifting the device when necessary. After crossing the end, the strap 28 extends axially along opposite sides of the cap to and beyond the band l8, the strap being stitched to the cap and to the band Where it crosses it. The free ends of the strap 28 are prolonged considerably beyond the open end of the cap, one of the ends being provided with one member 32 and the other end with the opposite member 34 of a quick release fastener 35, and a buckle 36 for adjusting the length between the two caps l2 and I4.

The end cap M which slips over the other end of the middle section I0 is exactly like the cap I2 above described except that it is provided at the closed end with eyelets 38 through which a break thread 40 is passed in lacing the cover 42 of the parachute pack It to the end cap l4.

Chute risers 44 are secured by appropriate fasteners 46 to rings 48 through which both the bands l8 and straps 28 pass. Risers 44 enter the pack l6 where the cover 42 is joined to the cap [4 by the break thread lacing 40 and are joined in the usual manner to the shroud lines of'the parachute canopy 50, the top center of the canopy in turn being attached by a light break cord to a static line 52 which may emerge from the pack at the lacing and operate in the usual manher.

In operation the rifles, machine guns, or other pieces of equipment which are to be dropped, are carefully packed in the middle section III, the ends caps I2 and 14 are slipped over the ends 01' the package, the parachute pack l6 having previously been made up and laced to the end cap I, and the two parts 32 and 34 of the quick releasefasteners 35 are joined together. It the end caps are not drawn together closely to the now attached to the rings 48 by fasteners Mi,

the static line 52 is properly fastened to the plane, and the device is ready to be dropped.

When the container lands, only two quick release connections 35 need be undone in order to pull of! the end caps l2 and 14, after which the articles in the middle section It! may be withdrawn therefrom, either from the end orby unrolling as the case may require.

Th advantages of the device are obvious. It provides a means of opening the container and removing the articles in a minimum of time and is adjustable in length and in cross-section to fit packages of varying dimensions.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. In an apparatus of the character described, a middle section adapted for holding articles to be dropped in padded spaced apart relation, a pair of end caps of fabric, each having one end open, said open ends being slidable over the ends of said middle section, a reinforcing band surrounding the open end of each cap, said band being stitched to the cap except for small portions near the ends which are unstitched, an adjusting buckle secured to the unstitched ends, a reinforcing strap stitched across the closed nd of each cap, then lengthwise across opposite sides and to the band, a second reinforcing strap stitched across the closed end crosswise of the first, then lengthwise across opposite sides to and beyond the band, separable parts of a quick release fastener and buckles for adjusting the length of said second strap carried by the outer ends of the portions which extend beyond the band, and means on the bands for attaching parachute risers.

--2. The device defined in claim 1, wherein the means for attaching parachute risers comprises a ring on each end cap surrounding both the band and the second said strap, and a spring snap on each riser for attachment to said rings.

3. The device defined in claim -1 with means on one of the end caps for a lacing for securing the cover of a parachute pack. A

4. The device defined in claini l in combination with a parachute pack secured to one of the end caps by a lacing of break thread.

PAUL F. HELMICK. 

